Carl Beck

The Z has always had a large number of parts from Nissan's common parts bins. What sat the 350Z aside from all previous Z's and ZX's was the fact that the 350-Z shares a platform with another production sedan. Doing so, it is forced to have a very high firewall and thus body line, as well as a rear strut brace that can't be removed when extra storage space is needed.... Very much what AMC did when they cut 8" out of the Javlin and called it an AM-X. Nissan Design had a couple of pretty good looking "concepts" for the next generation Z's - but Carlos said they could not afford to design and build a complete new platform for a Z .... So they cut 8" out of the Infiniti G-35... and call it a Nissan 350-Z. Of course the Nissan Dealers got screwed in that deal as they had no 2+2 to offer their customers... Infiniti did of course... ;-) What was ironic about the way things turned out - was that many of us in the Z Car Community suggested that Nissan use the existing 240SX chassis - just redesign the body and add a 6 cylinder. There were already lots of aftermarket and performance parts for the 240SX chassis, and it had been race proven over several years of development... But the people running Nissan then, said "NO" the Z has to have it's own platform - it was Nissan's Flagship Vehicle. Just to prove that Nissan isn't the only manufacturer capable of screwing up a great idea - Pontiac showed the Soltice Coupe - - only now it is a Targa Top... overweight and far more expensive that the stripped down, clean and affordable fastback version originally conceived. What a shame... FWIW, Carl B.

Yes - that is a coupe They did not use the "X" in Japan, just Fairlady 280Z FWIW, Carl B.

Nissan had the L20 circa 65-68, followed by the redesigned L20A in 69, then the L20E and L20ET as inline six cylinder engines. Yes the four cylinder is the L20B. I think your 81/83 would have had the L20A not an L20. I'd be interested in knowing / hearing more about a shorter stoke, larger bore version - I'd seen reports that the L20E was simply a fuel injected version of the L20A. Where did you find the spec.'s for shorter stroke, larger bore versions? FWIW, Carl B.

When I was in college - circa 1965/67 - one of my roommates (4 to 6 of us shared an apartment)... owned some back Federal Income Taxes... and was scheduled for a meeting with an IRS Agent.. to arrange payments. When he was there - he was so pissed off - that he said something to the effect that - President Johnson (was it?) should be shot for wasting our money......I don't know what the exact words were, but following Federal Law, the IRS Agent was obligated to notify the SS that a threat to the President had been made and by who. Within a few weeks - I had SS Agents at the apartment asking all manor of personal questions about our roommate. They knew everything, I mean everything about him... from Gradeschool records, and interviews with teachers, to a parking ticket he received in another State five years earlier. It was amazing to say the least.... all of us were thinking "Big Brother", good grief - is this Germany circa 1938?.... you can't say anything without it being reported.... It turned out that my roommate was picked up - taken to a local SS office and questioned extensively.. once the SS felt that he really wasn't a "threat".. just a dumb arse for saying anything to a Federal Employee.. they let him go. Seems that President Johnson was scheduled to make a stop and speech at Port Columbus International Air Port a couple weeks later - - - and the SS has to check, investigate, review any and all potential threats in the area. They said they had over 300 people like my roommate to check out in the area.... The security surrounding a President is simply insane - at a cost to the American Taxpayer of BILLIONS of dollars annually. It is paranoia carried to an extreme... George Washington would be rolling over in his grave.. Certainly the security of our Presidents is very important... but the reach and extent of the fanatic effort at this point is simply out of control - and far beyond what any reasonable person would consider to be justified.... Just my experience and opinion... Carl B.

That system is a combination Heater Core and A/C Evaporator unit - yes? Carl B.

How much did it cost for the labor etc. and how long did it take???? thanks, Carl B.

I might have gone - had I known about it a couple weeks ago... Carl B.

The Hemmings site admin said he would pass Will and my comments on to the author. So far haven't heard from him. Will let you know if I do... FWIW, Carl B.

They were semi-gloss Black.. but many had Blue overspray on them. FWIW, Carl B.

That is really a hard color / finish to get a good picture of. I'd try photographing it on an over-cast day with indirect sunlight. I think one would have to see it in person to decide on the effect. I wonder how you care for it - can that finish be protected with wax/polish without becoming too shinny? I'll bet you can't even see it in the dark... don't park behind anyone, or where anyone would back-up toward it.... Looks like your doing a good job, keep at it... FWIW, Carl B.

Looks great Gus, did you find a place to have it boiled out, or did you just flush it out yourself? Keep the pictures coming... FWIW, Carl B.

Did you actually take the entire assembly off the intake manifold? Or did you disassemble the carb, with the carb body still attached to the intake? Are you sure you have the float level set correctly? Your problem would seem to be related to your linkage, or choke cables.... If you can lift the vacuum pistons and they fall back into place - they should be fine. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Kats: See image below... FWIW, Carl B.

I posted the following to the Hemmings Forum for their Sports & Exotic Car Magazine. http://forums.hemmings.com/viewforum.php?f=6 - - - - - - - - - To bad Jeff Koch had to repeat the same old "Goertz Myth" related to the design and development of the Datsun 240-Z. Worse yet, he failed to give any mention of the design team headed by Mr. Matsuo that actually did design the car. So I will. Mr. Teiichi Hara, Manager Nissan Design and Development Mr. Kazumi Yotsurnoto, Manager, Passenger Car Styling Section Mr. Yoshihiko Matsuo, Chief of Design, Styling Studio #4 Mr. Akio Yoshida, Assistant Designer (Exterior Design) Mr. Sue Chiba (Interior Design) Mr. Eiichi Oiwa and Mr. Kiichi Nishikawa (Styling Studio Assistants) Mr. Hidemi Kamahara and Mr. Tsuneo Benitani, Design Engineers (engineering everything under the skin). The "Goertz Myth" was started by the American Automotive Press, then carried on by the Authors of the first few books written on the subject of the Z Car. It has been repeated over and over by writers that failed to do any basic research of their own. Koch writes: "As far back as 1963, Albrecht Goertz was a design consultant with Nissan; his Fairlady-based Silvia coupe is considered a classic in Japan, but he also worked on a GT car that was to be powered with a Yamaha engine. When the engine wasn't what Nissan had hoped for, the project stopped, and Goertz left - but his styling study remained." It is true that Goertz did get a contract for "Design Consulting" with Nissan in 1963. However hiring a Design Consultant is quite different than hiring a Designer. As a Design Consultant Goertz did work with the Designers at Nissan to improve their Design Process, Design Tools and Design Techniques and in that regard he seems to have done good work. Also true that he refined the styling already done at Nissan for the Silvia body. I don't know about the Silvia being considered a "Classic" in Japan, but the article was supposed to be about Nissan's 50 Years in America, and the Silvia was a huge flop here. Shown only at the New York Auto Show, it was pulled off the show circuit and sent back to Japan, because the American reaction to it was so negative. Koch should have continued to quote Mr. Sharpe, who said the Silvia was too small and cramped for Americans and lacked the HP necessary to survive on American Highways. The silvia was a huge flop in the Sales Department even in Japan, with fewer than 600 units sold over several years of production. The car Goertz left behind at Nissan was the Nissan 2000GT. The result of a Joint Project between Nissan and Yamaha Design. Nissan had their 2000GT design already started when Goertz joined the team. Yamaha also had their A-550X prototype, which they continued to develop after the Joint Nissan/Yamaha effort was brought to an end. The Nissan 2000GT should not be confused with the Yamaha A-550X. The A-550X was actually a pretty good looking GT, but kept within Yamaha's design facilities. Looking at the Goertz inspired Nissan 2000GT today, it is hard to imagine how it could have evolved into anything other than perhaps another flop. Part 63 Corvette Sting Ray and part Triumph GT-6 it bore little, if any resemblance to the Z Car designed years later within Nissan's Sports Car Styling Studio. Here - http://zhome.com/History/Truth/All6SideBySide.jpg You can see both the initial clay model (center left) and the metal prototype (lower left) in the two lower left frames, that Mr. Goertz left behind at Nissan. Both were developed as 4 cylinder cars, based on the chassis of the older Datsun roadster. In terms of styling, you can see the influence provided by the Triumph GT-6 and the 63 Corvette Sting Ray... none of which shows up in the Datsun 240-Z. The Datsun 240-Z bore far more rresemblance to the 67 Ferrari 275GT. Koch ends his article by stating; "And Goertz? His part in the story was largely unacknowledged within Nissan until 1980, when they finally issued him a letter of credit for the concept (if not the design) of the Z." This is utter nonsense. Had Koch bothered to read the letter from Nissan to Goertz he would have realized that Nissan maintained its position that the design of the Datsun 240-Z was the work of its own design team. What Nissan did credit Goertz with was "his fine work" - as a design consultant working within Nissan's design departments on tools, technique and process improvements. You can read the complete text of the letter at: http://zhome.com/History/Truth/NissanStatement.htm A decade after the "Goertz Myth" was started, Mr. Matsuo wrote the story of how the Z Car was designed, and offered proof in terms of original design sketches, photographs of the design alternatives considered, the design selected for advancement and the physical evolution of that design. Goertz on the other hand wrote and published his own autobiography, in which he too offered proof in terms of photographs of the initial drawings, clay models and design development OF THE BMW 507!! covering several pages ..... but nothing - nada - zip - in terms of "his" design efforts related to a Sports/GT at Nissan. That is because he had nothing to do with the design of the Datsun 240-Z, and his own autobiography shows that all too clearly. The above is of course my own conclusion - but one based on my own extensive research efforts, not simply the regurgitation of speculation from the past and poorly researched rumor. FWIW, Carl Carl Beck, President Internet Z Car Club Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Really SAD.... really sad... FWIW, Carl B.

I think you got a pretty nice 240-Z with an interesting history.... A true Classic has no age, it is of timeless beauty. enjoy the ride... Carl B.

Great pictures - thanks for sharing... There is nothing better than a road trip in a Z, with your girlfriend! It doesn't get any better than that.... FWIW, Carl B.

Most local shows will allow 3 or 4 non-stock items, in the Stock Class. Of course you will loose a few points for them. But it is the fun of sharing the car with the Z Car Community that makes Car Shows fun... FWIW, Carl B.

Rick: What size wheels/tires are you running? Stock transmission and rear end? (5spd with the 3.9??) FWIW, Carl

If your happy - I'm happy. If it works it works! Great improvement to the overall looks of the car too! With today's devaluated US Dollar the price seems reasonable as well. FWIW, Carl B.

If it's close to as described/as pictured - it is a bargain at the Buy-It-Now... rare color too. 2 used Fenders painted to match $250.00 each = $500.00 2 Headlight Nacelles painted to match = $125 each = $250.00 1 hood $225.00 2 Spare original color matched seats, $150.00 Brand new factory floor mats New Nissan factory pedal pads. Rebuilt 5spd. $450.00 to rebuild + $250.00 good used tranny = $700.00 $1825.00 to $2K in spares... $16,500.00 - $2K = $14,500.00 for the car... remember the green Z that the dealer had here in Clearwater that sold for $13,500.00?... it wasn't even close... On the other hand - the 2 Green A/T's that just sold are looking better and better... Just shows you the range - but a 72 in that condition is well worth $16,500.00 today - I also agree that if you started with the typical $6K example - you couldn't get close to this for less than another $12K plus two years of work. FWIW, Carl B. BTW - that color really needs a bright set of mag's to set it off...

That is correct. I've never seen a Datsun 240-Z with a gasket between the headlight nacelle and the fender, and I've been looking since March of 1970. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi slo929: I live in Florida - I eliminated the vapor recovery system. I really didn't need the gasoline vapors leaking into the cabin. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19034&page=2 Note the 90 degree bend made with copper plumbing fittings - very important to do. If you don't the rubber hose will kink... and you won't be able to fill the upper part of the tank. Also important to replace the plastic connector between the vent line and fuel filler with a copper tube. The plastic cracks with age. A couple of diagrams from an earlier discussion - that I can't seem to find right now, are below FYI. This keeps the air/vapor return from the front of the car to the tank. FWIW, Carl. B

The speedo gear is matched to the rear-end gearing. So just use the speedo gear out of your stock 4spd. You may have to swap the speedo gear carrier... using the gear itself from your original 4spd., but put in the ZX speedo gear carrier. As I recall there is a "pin" that holds the speedo gear in the speedo gear carrier. (the carrier bolts into the transmission - and speedo gear is inside the carrier). If you have changed the rear gear ratio - then you need a speedo gear to match it. FWIW, Carl B.

Kim? in Idaho